A Tale of Two Actors.

Geoffrey Hughes

The Curse of TV

Geoffrey Hughes was one of the greatest British character  actors that the country never got to see. Like many actors who find regular employment and security in a TV soap he was never offered or took the roles in the theatre or cinema that would have shown his great talent. Coronation Street was in its day the queen of the soaps and was truly original and groundbreaking – it brought ‘kitchen-sink drama’ to the small screen and showed who the working class were, giving them a voice. Geoffrey Hughes played a popular charter in the soap for many years, the loveable, big hearted, not overly bright dustbin man Eddie Yeats. He, like many actors of his time was cursed with the ‘is there life after soaps’ syndrome. His soap character  was so strong and so embedded in the TV viewing psyche that directors found it impossible to see or cast him in any other role for some time. The few things that he did do outside of soaps in later life showed that he was an actor of consummate skill. He had done his apprentice in repertory theatre and had taken Shakespearian roles. The pity is that no one wrote or cast Geoffrey in the great parts that he would have done justice to. A great actor that was missing from our screens for a long time.

R.I.P. Geoff and thanks.

Simon Day

Directors wit.

Simon Day might well end up like Geoffrey Hughes not receiving the roles or scripts that his obvious talents deserve. His Wikipedia page states that he a ‘comedian’  when it clear from the many characters he played in The Fast Show that he much more – he is a great character actor. Dan Frazer the actor who played the Captain to Telly Savalas’s Kojak once said it was difficult to work with Savalas because his presence and charisma stole every scene. Simon Day has the same screen presence his charisma is captivating. There should be a leading role waiting for him in the next BBC remake of  a Dickens. He would have been wonderful in so many parts of the recent remake of the Bards history plays. Simon Russell Beale is a wonderful actor but his Sir John Falstaff  lacked that twinkle in the eye – it was a good actor doing a good job -  I wondered what Simon Day would done with the part. When some one writes a new detective series that is not cliché ridden the major role should go to Simon Day he would be a good detective. One of the luvvie directors from the NT or RSC should be banging  his door down to have him in their new plays, but alas they lack the wit. Simon Day needs more serious and challenging parts – it is a crying shame that his talents are going to waste.